Address data storage device

Abstract

The present invention relates to an address storage device for a vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle, with several apparatuses using at least parts of address data, the address storage device comprising a storage unit for storing address data and a storage unit interface. Each apparatus is assigned to an application interface, wherein each application interface communicates with the storage unit interface and—if required—reads out at least parts of address data stored in the storage unit and uses them during operation of the apparatus, so that the address data stored centrally in the storage unit are available to the apparatuses commonly.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. Address storage device for a vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle, with several apparatuses using at least parts of address data, the address storage device comprising a storage means for storing address data and a storage-means interface, characterized in that each apparatus is assigned to an application interface, each application interface communicates with said storage means interface and—as required—reads out at least parts of address data stored in said storage means, so that said address data stored centrally in said storage means are available to said apparatuses commonly. 
     
     
       2. Address storage device of  claim 1 , characterized in that said storage means interface is connected with an input/output unit, the input/output unit allowing the display of address data and the selection of address data. 
     
     
       3. Address storage device of  claim 1  or  2 , characterized in that storage means interface comprises an address management unit for arranging different subsets of address data and for displaying said subsets. 
     
     
       4. Address storage device of  claim 3 , characterized in that a subset contains address data recently used and/or a subset contains address data used most frequently. 
     
     
       5. Address storage device of  claim 2 , characterized in that said I/O-unit is connected with a infrared interface, as to allow optical transmission of address data to and from an external address database. 
     
     
       6. Address storage device of  claim 2 , characterized in that said I/O-unit is connected with a radio interface, as to allow transmission of address data to and from an external address database. 
     
     
       7. Address storage device of  claim 2 , characterized in that said I/O-unit is adapted to build up a connection with the Internet, as to read out address data from a server based address database. 
     
     
       8. Address storage device of  claim 2 , characterized in that said I/O-unit is connected with an input means, comprising a rotary switching means, as to allow input of address data. 
     
     
       9. Address storage device of  claim 1 , characterized in that one of said apparatuses is a navigation system or a telephone system or an e-mail system or an Internet system. 
     
     
       10. Address storage device of  claim 9 , characterized in that said application interface reads out and transfers to the apparatus only those parts of said address data, which are required by said apparatus. 
     
     
       11. Address storage device of  claim 1 , characterized in that said storage means is provided as a hard disk or an electrically erasable and programmable read only memory (EEPROM).